


Absence Makes The Heart Grow

by TracedInAir



Series: Absence - Long Distance Diakko [1]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, so much pining, temporarily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TracedInAir/pseuds/TracedInAir
Summary: With Akko visiting home for the winter holidays, Diana has been handling it well, and is definitely not pining for her girlfriend.In which Diana pines a lot.
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Series: Absence - Long Distance Diakko [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868368
Comments: 23
Kudos: 196
Collections: Diakko favorites





	Absence Makes The Heart Grow

Diana fidgeted, her glance flickering around the room in a deliberate attempt to keep her eyes off the crystal ball in front of her. She reached a hand towards it, then pulled it back. They’d agreed Akko would call when she was free, no sense in sitting around waiting a minute just to receive the ‘user busy’ tone. Again.

But Akko was ten minutes late. Ten. Minutes. And they hadn’t called in three days. _Three._

The stress had been getting to her, quite visibly. Barbara had given her a ring yesterday, and had ended up hanging up barely a few minutes in. She hadn’t said it was because Diana had been so cranky, but Diana was familiar enough with the tone her friends took when she was being awful and they didn’t want to say so.

She glanced back at the clock on her crystal. _11:12_. A little after 8, Japanese time. Akko had promised she’d have the evening free today. She’d even offered to cook dinner for the rest of the week so her parents would give her the evening off from helping with the shop. Or at least that’s what she’d told Diana. Maybe she’d forgotten? Or just been too busy to even be able to-

The crystal buzzed.

Diana slammed her hand onto the accept call button with such force the crystal ball nearly went spinning off her desk. “Dammit, bloody stupid thing!” Her rant was interrupted by the pleasant sight and not so pleasant sound of Atsuko Kagari laughing at her.

“Ahem, hello Akko.” Diana composed herself, forcing her arms back into her lap.

“Ohayou, Diana!” Akko grinned out of the surface of the crystal. “Sorry I’m a little late! Okaa-san made me help with the cleaning up, even though I told her I was busy today. And then I told her I was calling you, then she told me why didn’t I say so and she shoo’d me off here and-”

The tension in Diana’s chest dissipated slowly. She felt herself relaxing, a contented smile forming on her face as she listened to Akko ramble out her apology for her lateness. “It’s quite alright, dear,” she said, interrupting Akko’s stream of consciousness.

Akko flushed at the pet name. “I know, it’s just been so long since we called!”

“It’s been three days, Akko,” Diana said, as if she hadn’t felt them like years herself.

“Exactly! Three whole days!” Akko tilted her head, grinning all the while. “Oh, we had the cutest old couple in the shop yesterday! They were so sweet. Her eyesight’s bad, so he helps her out with everything. But then he put some really expensive rice cakes in the cart, like the kind you only get if you’re inviting people you wanna impress over for dinner, or that’s what Okaa-san says.”

Akko paused for a second, chuckling at some recollection of some story involving her mother. “But anyway! He leans up to me,” Akko leaned in towards the camera, putting on her best conspiratorial face, “and he says,” Akko put on her best Old Japanese Man voice, _"d_ _on’t tell her we got these, she never lets me spoil her._ Then he winks at me, like I was in on some big conspiracy and it was SO CUTE and-”

Diana sighed contentedly, having made peace with the fact it was going to be at least a minute before she’d be getting a word in to the conversation. She aww’d in the right places, laughed as Akko swapped to her Old Japanese Lady voice and complained good-naturedly about, _“that old coot spending his whole pension on expensive food that he doesn’t even eat,”_ and just… just enjoyed listening to Akko talk.

She could have sat there for hours, simply enjoying the sound of Akko’s voice again. She idly wondered if she should record these conversations so she could hear Akko during those aching hours and days where they were both too busy, their time zones too disparate, to talk like this. It would probably be worth the teasing she’d receive if Barbara or Hannah found out. Probably.

“Hey, Earth to Diana.” Akko poked the screen with her finger, shaking Diana out of her reverie. “I asked if anything fun’s happened since I’ve been gone.”

Diana shook her head gently. “I’m afraid Luna Nova has been significantly more dull for your absence. No wild broom races, no dragon attacks, no worker’s strikes…” she trailed off with a teasing smile.

Akko chose not to rise to the bait. “No broom races? I guess Amanda must be home as well then.”

“No she’s still here, she just hates flying in the snow if she doesn’t have to,” Diana said.

“Well if she’s there, won’t be too long before you have something fun to deal with.” Akko smiled fondly.

“Hopefully she can at least make it to our next call without some kind of disaster,” Diana said, smiling back despite herself. “Speaking of which…”

Akko perked up. “Oh yeah, was gonna ask you. What mornings do you have free? I’ll try to see what I can get off.”

“I’m helping Professor Finnelan with some research tomorrow, and she’s an early riser so I doubt I’ll have much time to spare,” Diana said apologetically.

“That’s something, coming from you,” Akko teased.

“Oh shush. Winter Solstice will likely be busy here, but would it be possible to call a little earlier, before the morning festivities begin?” Diana tried not to get her hopes up.

Akko thought for a second. “It’s not really a holiday here, so I’d probably be working. But if I explained, I’m sure I could get a few minutes off in the afternoon to say hi?” she shrugged her shoulders apologetically.

“Let me know what time,” Diana said. “I’ll likely be needed by the staff from 8 am onwards, so it’ll need to be before 5, your time.”

Akko nodded. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said with an awkward smile.

They lapsed into silence for a few seconds.

“I miss you,” Diana said, and heard the same words pouring simultaneously from her crystal.

Akko sighed. “I mean, it’s not that I don’t like seeing my parents again. I missed them a lot, and I hadn’t seen them since August, and it’s _really_ nice to be able to speak Japanese again, you have no idea-” Diana rolled her eyes fondly at her, “-but I still really miss you.”

“I know,” Diana whispered softly. “I miss you so much. I’d never want to deprive you the opportunity to see your parents-” she swore her breath didn’t catch at that, “-but it still hurts.”

Akko nodded sympathetically, before perking up, looking for all the world as if a lightbulb had physically gone off above her head. “What if,” she stopped herself, suddenly realising the enormity of what she was asking. “...What if you came to visit next year?”

Diana felt her heart stop in her chest. Visit Akko? In Japan? She’d certainly thought about it before, in an abstract sense. But to be actually presented with the idea was, well it was tantalising to say the least. “I- I think I would like that very much, Akko.”

Akko’s face split into a wide grin, “Yeah! You’ll love it! It’ll be so great, I have to show you _everything!_ Like karaoke! And Tokyo at night! And _real_ Japanese tea, not that English Breakfast muck!”

Diana smiled, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest at the idea. It was a big commitment, but then loving Akko was about as big as commitments got, and she’d thrown herself into that with significantly less restraint. And by the time next winter came around, they’d have been dating for a year and half. That was certainly enough time to visit the parents, right?

Oh no.

She was going to have to visit Akko’s parents.

“Oh, and I can show you the- Diana? You OK?” Akko peered into her crystal ball with concern, seeing the horror that had suddenly dawned on Diana’s face.

“I’ll have to meet your parents, won’t I?” Diana said. She didn’t ask, it was a statement.

“Uh, yeah? We were hardly gonna make you spend the trip in a hotel.” Akko laughed at her own joke.

Diana’s face didn’t change from its horrified expression.

“Seriously? They’re not that bad Diana.” Akko waved her hand dismissively. “They already have to hear me go on about you all the time, they practically know you better than me by now!”

“And now I have to live up to their expectations.” Diana did not whine, because Diana Cavendish _did not_ whine. But she did something very similar to whining.

“Hey.” Akko waved her hand over the camera, as if she was ruffling Diana’s hair across thousands of miles. “You’ll be fine. They’re cool with the whole gay thing,” Diana let out an undignified snort at that, “and Okaa-san keeps telling me, ‘she's clearly the best thing to ever happen to you, and don't you dare mess it up’.”

“I haven’t even met her,” Diana said tentatively.

“Then you won’t know how _perfect_ that impression of her was,” Akko said.

Diana burst out laughing. Her apprehension hadn’t dissipated entirely, but it felt lighter, as if she was floating on Akko’s untethered optimism. “And I mean,” Akko followed up, “it can't be worse than the first time I met _your_ family.”

“That much is certainly true.” Diana grimaced at the memory. Akko hadn’t met Daryl or her cousins again since that night, and it was going to _stay_ that way for as long as Diana was able to keep it so.

“Hey,” Akko said, leaning in a little. “You don’t have to come if you don’t wanna. I’d love to have you here, but I know it’s a big ask to come all the way to Japan for me-”

“Akko,” Diana interrupted, “I would love to visit your family with you for the winter holidays next year. Is that clear enough?”

Akko laughed brightly. “OK, OK, I get it.”

“And besides,” Diana said, “I already went to space for you. What’s Japan after that?”

Akko flushed bright red. “Dianaaa! How come you always one-up me with the cute stuff!”

“How could I possibly?” Diana protested. “You have an insurmountable head start in any contest of cuteness.”

“Stooop!” Akko hid her face in her hands.

Diana laughed gently at Akko’s antics. They settled into a silence once again, more comfortable this time. “How free are you Christmas Eve?” Akko asked.

“I have a couple of tasks to attend to, but I can arrange them around your availability,” Diana said, hope rising in her chest.

“Oh, OK. You’ll think this is silly but,” Akko started, looking sheepishly away. “In Japan, Christmas Day is more like, how would you say it?” Akko looked up pensively, trying to think of the English expression. “Like a day for families to spread happiness together? So I’ll be busy with my parents on that day, sorry! But as I was saying, Christmas Eve!”

“Go on,” Diana said, stifling a giggle.

“So uh, Christmas Eve in Japan is seen as, well, _kindofacouplesday_ ,” Akko said, hiding her face again.

“Akko, we have been dating for several months. You’re allowed to tell me you’d like to spend time together on a day considered special for couples in your country,” Diana said, fighting off the urge to roll her eyes.

“Shush! I was gonna say, do you maybe wanna call for a bit on Christmas Eve and open our gifts to each other then?” Akko’s eyes lit up as she finished her question.

“I would love nothing more, Akko,” Diana said, her own eyes flickering to the hastily wrapped present sitting on her desk.

“Yay!” Akko fistpumped in celebration. “I mean uh, cool, sounds fun, usual time?”

“A little earlier maybe?” Diana said. “I’d like to have as much time as possible to spend with you, since we’re both available."

“Sure!” Akko said, face lighting up. “The shop’s closed, and my folks tend to do a big lunch and just chill out and eat leftovers for the rest of the day, so I’ll be free whenever.”

“I’ll call you when I wake up, then,” Diana said, smiling softly.

“It’s a date!” Akko said, throwing her arms up.

Diana giggled, before noticing something unfortunate.

_11:57._

She sighed. “I’m sorry Akko, I’d lost track of the time. I have to go get lunch now.”

Akko’s face fell. “Oh. Yeah that makes sense.” She forced a smile back onto her face. “See you on Solstice?”

“Of course,” Diana said.

“I love you,” Akko said, holding up her hand.

“And I love you too, Akko,” Diana said warmly. “Now I really must be going.”

“Nuh uh, not until you do it,” Akko teased, holding her hand up to the crystal, fingers curved.

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Diana teased back, tossing her hair.

“If you love me you’ll do it~” Akko sang.

“That is unsporting.” Diana huffed indignantly.

“All’s fair in love and getting you to do the cute thing!” Akko moved her face next to her hand with a grin.

Diana sighed. “Fine.” She raised her hand to her own crystal ball, mirroring Akko’s hand with her own and forming the shape of a heart.

“Haha, yay!” Akko celebrated. “OK, bye Diana. Love you!”

“Love you too,” Diana said, but the line had already clicked off.

Diana sighed, staring at the empty call screen and the silly picture of the two of them that Akko used as her profile image.

“...What would I do without you?”

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to the Diakko Discord for the inspiration for this one!
> 
> And even huger thanks to Wolfhunter for being worth every hour spent waiting for 5 minutes of calls in the evening.


End file.
